Multiple record support for phonographs



June 14, 1949. w. E. RUDOLPH MULTIPLE nEconn SUPPORT Fon rnonoamrns Filed Dc. 28, 1 v

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June 14, 1949. w. E. RUDOLPH MULTIPLE RECORD SUPPORT FOR PHONOGRAPHS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 2s, 1943 Patented June 14, 1949 MULTIPLE RECORD SUPPORT FOR PHONOGRAPHS William E. Rudolph, Collingswood, N. J., assigner, by mesne assignments, to Philco Corporation, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsyl- Vania Application December 28, 1943, Serial No. 515,957

9 Claims.

This invention relates to phonographs and particularly to phonographs of the automatic type adapted to play a plurality of records in sequence. The invention is especially concerned with a multiple record support and release mechanism for such automatic phonographs.

The multiple record support of the present invention is of the same general type as, but incorporates certain improvements over the record supporting mechanism of co-pending application of Harold Walker Serial No. 515,959, filed concurrently herewith. As brought out in said co-pending application various of the known types of multiple record supports are'subject to a number of disadvantages. knife type is disadvantageous as a result of chipping, Scratching and even breaking of records. Moreover, certain of the prior types subject the center hole of the records to excessive wear, as a result of which the records do not run true when being played, which seriously impairs accuracy of reproduction, as is known.

The type of multiple record support provided by the present invention overcomes the foregoing and other difficulties, the arrangement including a plurality of superimposed record supporting shelves carried by a post structure, the usual installation containing two such groups of shelves and posts arranged at diametrically opposite sides of the turntable.

The employment of individual shelves for supporting the several records with which the machine is loaded also enables spacing of the shelves from each other a suicient distan-ce to accommodate records of dilerent thickness as well as records which may be more or less warped.

One of the important objects of the present invention is the provision of an improved multiple record support of the general type mentioned above. the various parts of which, especially the record supporting shelves and the post members, are of extremely simple construction and may therefore be very readily fabricated, most of such parts being capable of fabrication merely by stamping.

The manner in which the foregoing objects and advantages are obtained will be seen more fully from the following description referring to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment.

In the drawings- Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view through a record Supporting post with the supporting shelves carried thereby, all arranged in accordance with the present invention;

For instance, the so-called` Fig. 2 is a, horizontal sectional view taken substantially as indicated by the section line 2 2 on Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a rear elevational view oi a portion of the record support and a group of shelves carried thereby, this view being taken from the left of Fig. 2 but with a certain guide removed to disclose parts lying behind; and

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view similar to Fig. 1 but illustrating a different position of certain of the parts.

The 'post is desirably made up of a pair of upright plates or supports 5--5 which are mounted at their lower ends in any convenient way, for instance in the manner disclosed in the `co-pending application above identiiied. The upper ends of the members 5-5 may be joined by a crosstie 6. A multiplicity of super-imposed record supporting shelves 1 are carried by the post structure, each of the shelves having a rearwardly projecting tongue la for mounting purposes, this tongue being received between the uprights 5 5. As will be seen from comparison of Figs. l and 2, the record supporting part of each shelf 'l is fairly broad, i. e., extends peripherally of the records (for instance records R shown in Fig. 1), in order to provide a stable base of support for the records.

It may here be mentioned that the general structure described above is adapted to be mounted adjacent to the turntable (not shown) so that the group of records with which the machine is loaded is carried directly above the turntable to be released one by one for descent thereA to. The turntable spindle, as is disclosed in the co-pending application above identied, is desir` ably of such height as to project through the center holes of the several records carried by the supporting posts.

In considering the manner of mounting the individual record supporting shelves in the post structure, attention is rst directed to the fact that the post uprights 5-5 are provided with a series of vertically spaced, generally horizontal slots 8 formed in the forward edges thereof, in which slots laterally projecting portions 9 of the shelves are adapted to be guided, whereby to provide for guiding movement of the shelves in a generally horizontal directiontoward and away from the axis of the turntable. In this way prom vision is made for movement ofthe shelves b'etween record supporting or advanced position and non-supporting or retracted position.

The slots 8 in the uprights 5 and the thickness of record supporting shelves 'l are so proportioned as to provide freedom for limited angular oscillation of the shelves in a vertical plane in order to permit operation of shelf stop devices for retaining the shelves in retracted position, as is described below.

A series of notches l are provided in the rear edges of the post uprights 5', which notches are adapted to receive projecting tabs or stop members II which are formed at the rear corners of the shelf tongues 1a. The notched rear edges of uprights 5 also provide notched shoulders I2 behind which the tabs II are adapted to engage when the shelves are in certain positions, as is brought out below.

A channel shaped guide member I3 having serrations I d in the edge portions thereof is arranged to the rear of the post in position to cooperate with certain parts of the shelves during movement thereof, as will be described. The several shelves are normally urged forwardly, i. e., toward advanced or record supporting position by means of springs I5.

In describing the operation of the foregoing mechanism attention is irst directed to Fig. l in which records R are supported on several of the lower shelves. As there Seen, these lower shelves are` projected forwardly to their advanced positions in which the tabs Ii at the rear corners enter the notches I0. These shelves are adapted to be retracted to release the records carried thereby by means of an actuating bar I6 which is appropriately mounted and guided for vertical movement, the bar having an inclined face I1 arranged to engage an edge of an aperture I B which is formed in each shelf. As will be seen, upward movement of bar IS from the position shown in Fig. 1 will retract the lowermost shelf 'I and thereby release the lowermost record R for descent to the turntable. Further upward movement of bar I6 will then engage the next higher shelf and release the next record, and so forth upwardly through the series. Actuation of the bar I6 is brought about by control mechanismI which need not be considered in detail herein since it forms no part of the present invention per se. For a disclosure of an appropriate actuating mechanism reference may be had to the co-pending'application above identied in accordance with which provision is made for step-by-step upward advancement of the bar IS. one step following the playing of each/record to thereby release another record for descent to the turntable.

The record supporting shelves (except for the lowermost shelf) are adapted to be retained in retracted position by means of interengagement of the stop tabs II with the stop surfaces I2. As the control bar moves upwardly and retracts each shelf, the spring t5 associated with that shelf will cause the shelf to oscillate somewhat in a vertical plane, in order to bring its stop tabs down in back of the corresponding stop surfaces I2 for that shelf. 'I'his condition is maintained even upon downward withdrawal `of the control bar I6, because of the forward and downward inclination of the springs I5. At this point it should be noted that the serrations I4 of the guide member I3 cooperate with the stop tabs II, the teeth between the serrations I4 serving to restrict excessive oscillation of the record supporting shelves and thereby prevent entry of stop tabs II of one shelf into the notches IIJ for the next lower shelf.

Attention is now called to the fact that the notches Ia in the rear edges of the uprights 5 for. the lowermost shelfV are arranged so that .4 in no position will the stop tabs Il of the lowermost shelf engage any cooperating stop surfaces, in view of which upon downward withdrawal of the control bar I6 all of the shelves are retained in retracted position except for the lowermost shelf. This lowermost shelf at this time will therefore take the position shown in full lines in Fig. 4. The purpose of this is related to the loading of the mechanism with a new group of records to be played, and the action of the parts during loading is described just below with reference to Fig. 4.

Thev records to be loaded are brought to a position over the turntable and successively placed on the turntable spindle, the first record (indicated at RI in Fig. 4) descending to rest upon the lowermost supporting shelf 1. Because of the freedom for limited angular oscillation of each shelf this lowermost shelf then oscillates to the position indicated at 'Ib in which the rear endV of the' tongue la of the shell` is displaced upwardly. Note now thatthe extreme rear edge of each tongue 1a is provided with an upwardly benti flange I9 (see Figs. 2 and 3). The flanges I 9 of the shelves are of such vertical height that upon oscillationk of a shelf, for instance the lowermost shelf to the position 'Ib above referred to, the ange will engage the next higher shelf, thereby raising the tongue projection 'Ia thereof and causing this next highershelf to take up the position indicated at 'Ic in Fig. 4. In `this position the stoptabs II of the second shelf are disengaged from the stop surfaces I2 and the spring I5 for the second shelf is thus free to project the shelf forwardly to advanced positionv ask indicated at ld. Thus the second shelf is automaticaly tripped by the loading of the first shelf and brought into a position to receive the second record. This action takes place progressively upwardly through the series of shelves as the record supporting posts are loaded.

When the desired records/have been placed in the posts,lcontrol bar I6 is then advanced upwardly step-by-step,` as above mentioned, the movement of the control bar being brought about by any suitablemechanism, desirably under the influence of the usualr cycling cams with which automatic phonographs are equipped.

It may be mentioned that when the control bar reaches the upper limit of its motion and all records'of a'group havebeen played it is desirable to remove that group of records before again withdrawing the control bar I6 downwardly. The reason for this is that downward movement of the control bar to its lower limit results in advancement of the lowermost shelfto the record supporting position, in which position it would interfere with withdrawal of any records at that time on the turntable.

In accordance withthe foregoing, an extremely effective and reliable-mechanism-.is provided for the support and release of a multiplicity of records in an automatic phonograph. Because of the manner of mounting the several record supporting shelves. in the post uprights, not only the shelves'themselves-but also the uprights may be of very simple Structure and design, the shelves constituting no more than flat plates appropriately stamped out to have the required'plan-pattern and a small upstanding langeat the rear edge. The uprights are `also very readily fabricated, since they need only comprise sheet metal appropriately notched at opposite edgesv in order to cooperate with the shelves.

I claim:

1. A multiple record support for a phonograph including a record supporting post comprising an upright member provided With a plurality of superimposed generally horizontal slots, a plurality of movable record supporting shelves with portions thereof received in the slots to be guided thereby during movement of the shelf between record supporting or advanced positions and nonsupporting or retracted positions, yielding means adapted to urge the shelves from retracted to advanced position, the slots in the supporting post member being of width providing limited angular oscillation of the shelves in a vertical plane, cooperating stop means on the shelves and the post member for retaining the shelves in retracted position, the stop means being adapted to engage upon oscillation of the shelves in one direction when the shelves are in retracted position, and means automatically operative upon oscillation of a shelf in the other direction to disengage the stop means of the next higher shelf and thereby provide for movement of the higher shelf from retracted to advanced position under the iniiuence of the means for urging that shelf outwardly.

2. A construction in accordance with claim 1 in which the automatic means for disengaging the stop for the next higher shelf comprise bent flanges formed at adjacent edges of the shelves.

3. A multiple record support for a phonograph including a record supporting post comprising an upright member, a plurality of superimposed record supporting shelves carried by the post, the shelves being mounted on the post member with freedom for angular oscillation in a vertical plane and also for movement between record supporting or advanced position and non-supporting or retracted position, an edge of the post member being notched and portions of the shelves being alternatively oscillatable into registry with the notches and engageable behind a notch shoulder, the engagement of a shelf behind a notch shoulder serving as a stop preventing movement of that shelf from retracted to advanced position,

and guide means cooperating with the portions of the shelves engageable with the notch shoulders to limit angular oscillation and provide against entry of one shelf into the notch provided for an adjacent shelf.

4. A record Support for a phonograph including a record supporting post comprising an upright member provided with a generally horizontal slot in one edge and a notch in the opposite edge, and a movable record supporting shelf having a portion thereof received in the slot to provide for guiding the shelf during movement thereof between record supporting or advanced position and non-supporting or retracted position, and a portion of the shelf also being movable into said notch when the shelf is in advanced position and alternatively engageable behind a notch shoulder when the shelf is in retracted position.

5. A multiple record support for a phonograph incorporating a post member having a plurality of superimposed slots and notches according to claim 4 and having a plurality of superimposed record supporting shelves according to claim 4, and guide means cooperating with the shelves when in retracted position to provide against entry of one shelf into the notch provided for an adjacent shelf.

6. A multiple record support and release mechanism for a phonograph including a supporting post comprising an upright member, and a plurality of superimposed movable record supporting shelves carried by the upright member, portions of the upright member and of the shelves serving as complementary cooperating guide means for guiding generally horizontal movement of the shelves between record supporting or advanced position and non-supporting or retracted position, the guide means further providing freedom for limited angular oscillation of the shelves in a vertical plane and portions of the upright member and of the shelves being formed as stop means adapted to engage upon oscillation of the shelves in one direction to thereby retain the shelves in retracted position.

7. A construction in accordance with claim 6 in which portions of the shelves serve as abutments one of which, for one shelf, is adapted to engage the next higher shelf upon oscillation of said one shelf to thereby dlsengage the stop means for the next higher shelf.

8. A multiple record support for a phonograph, comprising a vertical support member, a plurality of record-supporting shelves carried by said support member in superposed relation, said support member and said shelves having interengaged complementary portions for supporting each shelf for movement individually between a record-supporting position and a non-supporting position, cooperative means on said support member and said shelves for retaining each shelf except the lowermost one in non-supporting position, and means on each shelf for releasing the next higher shelf in response to placement of records on the shelves.

9. A multiple record support for a phonograph including a record supporting post comprising an upright member provided with a plurality of superimposed generally horizontal slots, a plurality of movable record supporting shelves with portions thereof received in the slots to be guided thereby during' movement of the shelf between record supporting or advanced positions and nonsupporting or retracted positions, the slots in the supporting post member being of width providing limited angular oscillation of the shelves in a vertical plane, cooperating stop means on the shelves and the post member for retaining the shelves in retracted position, thD stop means being adapted to engage upon oscillation of the shelves in one direction when the sleeves are in retracted position, and yielding means adapted to urge the shelves toward advanced position when the stop means therefor are disengaged.

"WILLIMM E. RUDOLPH.

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,378,647 Beard, Jr May 17, 1921 2,352,331 Leline June 27, 1944 

